COLUMBIA, S.C. — Summer in the Midlands can mean temperatures that reach triple digits, which can potentially be dangerous, especially in a hot car.
Experts warn against leaving your pet or your child in a hot car because the consequences can be deadly no matter how long they are in the vehicle.
"I think the big thing is forgetting your kid is in the car with you because of all the distractions, concentrating on driving, thinking about your day at work," said Columbia Fire Department captain Matthew Busenlehner.
Whether distracted, or running errands with plans to leave the car just a few minutes, Busenlehner said temperatures can quickly overtake a small person or pet, if left inside a vehicle.
“A car will raise its temperature about 20 degrees every ten minutes, so if you’re starting off at 97 degrees, you know by that time a kid can't survive 120 degrees," said Busenlehner.
Those high temperatures can cause a child to experience several health emergencies.
"Heat exhaustion, heat stroke and then death, and that's what we want to avoid," said Busenlehner.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 23 children died in 2021 from being left in a hot car. According to Kids Car and Safety, three of those deaths occurred in South Carolina.
Though Busenlehner said these deaths are preventable.
Busenlehner reminds parents to:
- Never leave a child in a vehicle unattended, even if the windows are cracked and the air condition is on;
- Keep the car locked at all times, and teach kids that the car is not a playground;
- Make it a habit to check your entire vehicle — front and back — before locking the door and walking away;
- Ask your childcare provider to call if your child doesn’t show up for care as expected; and
- Place a personal item like a purse or briefcase in the back seat, as another reminder to look before you lock.
“Don't encourage your kid to play in the car. Keep your car locked at all times. Cause hide and seek, your kid can get in the car, lock it by accident and now they’re stuck in the car.”
However, if you do come across a child or an animal in a hot car, Busenlehner said to call 911 immediately.
“Call 911. Call 911," he said. “We’ll send a police officer and also a firetruck and then we have a big easy that will get us in your car."
While waiting for 911, Busenlehner also sad to try locating the child's parent.
Veterinarian Kelsey Callaghan explained pets can also suffer from a heat stroke and potentially died when locked in a hot car.
“Unfortunately Columbia gets so hot and the humidity gets so high, that in a couple of minutes a dog can die,” said Callaghan.
Both Busenlehner and Callaghan stressed whether its a child or an animal, reaction time is critical to ensure their safety.
If you need to step in and break someone's car window to save a child or a pet, South Carolina has what's known as a Good Samaritan Law, which protects you from civil lawsuits.